China’s foreign minister has called for a comprehensive ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, a move that could revitalise stalled efforts to end the two-month war.

Wang Yi expressed his country’s deep distress over the hostilities following a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing.

This marked Mr Araghchi’s first visit to the Chinese capital since the conflict with the US and Israel began on 28 February.

China’s significant economic and political ties to Tehran afford it a unique position of influence, with the Trump administration reportedly pressing Beijing to leverage this relationship to urge the Islamic Republic to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The Chinese minister’s comments came after a statement from US President Donald Trump, who announced a pause in American efforts to guide stranded commercial vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz, in hopes of finalising a deal.

A fragile ceasefire has largely held, despite reports of exchanges of fire during the US push to reopen the vital waterway on Monday.

Iran’s effective closure of the strait, a crucial passage for major oil and gas supplies, fertiliser, and other petroleum products before the war, has caused fuel prices to skyrocket.

This has rattled the global economy and placed immense economic pressure on numerous countries, including major powers such as China.

Araghchi's visit to China comes ahead of a planned visit by Trump to Beijing for a high-profile summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on 14-15 May. The trip would be Trump’s first to China during his second term and the first by a US president since Trump visited in 2017.

“We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable, and that it is particularly important to remain committed to dialogue and negotiations,” Wang said, according to a video of the meeting.

The Chinese foreign minister said the conflict “has already lasted for more than two months. It has not only caused serious losses to the Iranian people, but also had a severe impact on regional and global peace. China is deeply distressed by this.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that Beijing would reiterate the need for Iran to release its chokehold on the strait, which would deny its main leverage as Trump demands a major rollback of Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.

“I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told,” Rubio said during a White House briefing Tuesday. “And that is that what you are doing in the strait is causing you to be globally isolated. You’re the bad guy in this.”

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing has made clear that the relevant sides must act “with prudence” and resolve the conflict through dialogue in order to restore peace. He added that China has been actively promoting peace talks and will continue to do so.

In a statement published on the ministry's website about Wang's meeting with Araghchi, the foreign ministry said China values Iran’s pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons while affirming its “legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

Hundreds of merchant ships remain bottled up in the Persian Gulf. The US said it had opened a safe shipping lane Monday and sunk six small Iranian boats that had threatened commercial ships in the strait. Only two merchant ships are known to have passed through the US-guarded route.

But Trump announced he was pausing the effort, dubbed Project Freedom, to see whether an agreement with Tehran on ending the war could be reached.

In a social media post Tuesday, Trump said the move was based “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran.”

Pakistan has been mediating between the US and Iran, and had hosted peace talks between the two sides.

On Wednesday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Trump for what he described as a timely announcement of a pause in the effort to guide ships out of the strait.

In a post on X, Sharif said Trump’s response to requests from Pakistan and other countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, would help advance regional peace, stability and reconciliation.

“Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy," Sharif said.

"We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond.”